Surviving the Polar Vortex

Some people are reporting frost quakes in the Midwest.  It's a strange phenomenon that occurs when there is a sudden temperature drop and saturated rock or soil cracks.  It sounds like an explosion.  We saw a new record in our town yesterday when the wind chill hit -46º during the day.  I kept my outside time to less than five minutes in order to prevent frostbite.  The winds have stopped blowing today which makes the outside air feel about 22º warmer than yesterday.

I would like to thank my friends and family for all the prayers during our weather challenges.  Hell may have frozen over during this last storm but we are thriving.  The polar vortex will soon be a memory.  Have a great day.

50 Days Until Spring

This is the officially the coldest day I've ever witnessed in my lifetime.  The overnight temps dipped to -24º without the wind chill.  We may see wind chill temps nearing -60º by tomorrow.  My wife and I are staying indoors today.  The good news is the sun is shining and the insulation in our home is working well.  Our water still runs and we are safe.  Our son's six pound chihuahua cut her outside business time to a record of 90 seconds this morning and she's happy we're home today to snuggle with her.  For those who are struggling to get through this arctic vortex, remember this – 50 Days until Spring.  Have a great day.

The Positive in the Negative

It's been seven years since my new life began in the Midwest.  Those who were making bets I wouldn't survive may be shocked to see how I adapted to my new surroundings.  The temps may be in the negative for a while but my own attitude will forever stay on the positive side.  There is so much to be thankful for.  The sunsets and the sunsets are glorious with the pristine snow blanketing the fields around me.  The photo for today's story is a sunrise shot looking out over my backyard.  My friends at Ace Hardware helped me with the supplies I needed to rig a temporary solution when the washing machine drain froze yesterday.  Other than that challenge, the house is holding up well in the extreme conditions.

Life is an adventure.  I'm not waiting to get to the top of the mountain to enjoy it.  There are so many blessings along the way that I often find I'm pinching myself to see if all of this is real.  There aren't any tracks in the snow this morning.  They're all covered up from the last storm.  That means it's time to make my own tracks today and go out into the world to see what's awaiting.  If it's anything like the sunrise, it's going to be a great day.  We are all preparing for our coldest day ever tomorrow.  I've never seen a sunrise at -55º with the windchill but I have a feeling it's going to be one I will never forget.  Have a great day.

Who Will Win the Cold War?

The polar vortex is coming.  The only thing worse than a frigid day is a frigid, windy day.  This week we will have frigid and wind.  Windchills are forecast as low as -55º for Wednesday.  Batteries fail.  Electricity goes out.  The roads become unnavigable.  This is Mother Nature's war and we're on the receiving end of her relentless attacks.  This is life-threatening.  Who will win this man vs. nature cold war?

Jesus promises he's preparing a place for us. I'm pretty sure Mother Nature isn't on the VIP list.  This planet we're living on is merely a waiting room.  Maybe we're being tested to see how strong our faith is in times likes these.  I do know one thing I've learned from these conditions – there is in me an invincible summer.  Have a great day.

Travel Rewards Enhance Vacation Opportunities

Buy now.  Pay later.  Get approved instantly with no interest for 12 months.  How many times a day are we flooded with these kinds of messages from people who are betting on us to overspend so we become slaves to their interests?  One of their favorite strategies is to team up in order to make the temptations even more enticing.  Airlines are partnering with banks to offer out of this world travel rewards.  Hotels are doing the same.  Rental car companies have their own preferred partners.  Are these deals worth it or are they a trap?  It depends.

Exotic vacations are really popular this time of the year in the Midwest.  We will probably break the record for the coldest temps ever this week.  That's why travel rewards are so enticing.  Everyone is looking for an escape.  I believe these rewards can be a great solution when used properly.  I figured out a way to get some free hotel rooms, a discounted rental car and enough credit card reward money to pay for a trip to Maui in a couple of months.  I'm doing this by keeping a promise to my wife that all of these rewards will stop should we end up paying interest on our credit card.  This means we must never make a charge unless the money is already in our checking account.  This keeps us out of the debt trap.  I recommend you get out of debt before giving this idea a try.  The rewards are great if you can avoid interest charges.  Have a great day.

Endurance

Promise yourself you will prevail in all circumstances.  There will be many times when your opponents seem larger than life.  Mother Nature is looking for the knockout punch next week.  Round one started this morning.  She has a series of one-two punches in the later rounds all next week.  Windchill temps will reach -35º or more.  I only know one thing about what's ahead – I'm going the distance.

Rocky Balboa understood something about winning.  He deliberately chose to train in a place where there were no modern day distractions.  He used Mother Nature to be his trainer rather than his adversary.  I'm doing the same thing.  Mother Nature can push as hard as she wants.  She's teaching me how to counter punch when the odds are against me.  I'm stronger than ever.  It's all about endurance.  Remember that the next time you find yourself in a tough situation.  You can do this.  Have a great day.

It's a Par on First Hole of Debt Reduction

Mr. ABC Mortgage banker is showing signs of stress today.  I told myself the first hole on the virtual debt reduction course was going to be the hardest because I'm a rookie playing against one of the most challenging opponents of all times and my opponent knows my weaknesses.  Debt reduction is serious business.  I set up a 36 month plan to win financial freedom and previewed all the potential problem areas where I could easily get off course and fail early.  That's why I put so much energy into hole number one.  The first hole is like going to work on Monday.  You may feel out of sync after a weekend of fun and the last thing you want to do is think about debt reduction.  Where's the fun?  The next weekend seems so far away on a Monday.  I went to bed early on New Year's Eve to prevent the hangover at the start of the game.  It's all mental.  As Vince Lombardi says, "winning is a habit.  Unfortunately, so is losing."  I wanted my first two strokes of the game to come in at par and today I sunk the putt.  Hole number one is complete.

Mr. ABC Mortgage banker hopes I will go back to my old ways soon before my winning habits become a permanent lifestyle.  My goal is to keep improving as I go and not worry if I encounter unexpected challenges during the game.  It just so happens that New Year's Eve, 2021, falls on a Friday.  Yes, it seems really far away but I'm already thinking about how much fun that day is going to be for my wife and me if I don't give up on debt reduction.  The only one with the hangover will be Mr. ABC Mortgage banker.  Have a great day.

Your Why Prevents False Starts

How many new year resolutions are still in play?  I know how it feels to have a false start, especially when most people choose January 1 as the first day of the race.  Like everybody else who says this year is going to be different, they get overanxious, set big goals and end up disqualified.  The "why" is your best way to prevent a false start.  It's the reason why you chose to improve your life when you took a look at the previous year and shook your head in disgust because it didn't work out in your favor.  You need to get your "why" back today before another year ends up as a lost cause.

My why is my wife and our family.  They are counting on me to be steadfast.  My why keeps me from trying to sprint when I'm in a twelve month marathon.  My why says there are no shortcuts.  My why is my hope for peace and serenity.  If I do encounter a false start, I know I must get up and start over.  There's no room for giving up.

Like it or not, your loved ones are observing you.  What lessons do you want to teach them by your own example? If you don't have a why, find one.  Dig deep.  Your why is a fuel tank.  Fill it up with purpose.  This is your year.  You can do this.  Nobody will remember your false start if you get back up now and start over.  The only person who can disqualify you from the race is you.  Tell that guy flashing the red card to get out of your way.  You have a mulligan and you can use it right now if your why is bigger than your list of excuses.  Your family is waiting for you to take the next step.  Have a great day.

Mother Nature is Working Overtime

It's a good thing I learned to conquer my anxiety about driving on snow covered roads.  Mother Nature is throwing tantrums again and the roads are looking scary.  Wind chill temps will approach -30º in the next couple of days.  My morning commute will be a bit challenging.  Mother Nature plans to stick around for a couple of weeks to test me and I'm ready for her to hit me with her best shot.  The outside temperature right now is 1º with the wind chill factor and I'm bundling up to stay warm.  I would like to acknowledge my anxiety coach, Jacqueline, who worked with me last year to cope with my fears about driving in conditions like these.  She taught me how to breathe and stay calm.  I'm ready for a great day.  How about you?  Is Mother Nature treating you well today?  If not, don't let her get you down.  The best thing you can do is face your fears and move forward.  Have a great day.

The Debt Reduction Chip Shots are Working

The first hole in my 36 month debt reduction game is now just a chip shot away to make par.  I'm gaining confidence.    January has been a cruel month for me in past years because Holiday bills always weighed me down.  I changed my approach to the game and it feels good.  It looks like I'm going to keep chipping until I win financial freedom in three years.

Just like golfers need to get their grip right to make their golf balls go further and in a straight line, I'm getting a better grip on my monthly expenses.  The debt discipline is paying off even though the adjustments have been relatively minor.  My wife and I agreed to cut out wine and chocolate during the first month of the game.  We also reduced our TV dish bill to the bare minimum.  We chose to forego eating out with the exception of a celebration dinner when our youngest son was visiting.  We are closely monitoring our grocery lists to make sure there are no unnecessary items that we can live without.  The 4.99 rotisserie chicken has become a favorite dinner staple and we are finding creative ways to change up the way we serve it.  The people giving out the free samples at my day job all know me on a first name basis and I see them five times a week to supplement my apple and banana at lunch time.  I'm going to keep track of my progress during this debt reduction game and all of you reading this will be my accountability partners.  Let me know if you're interested in joining the game.  You can use it for any area of your life you're seeking to improve.  Have a great day.

The 1% Difference

How is today going to be different from yesterday?  I follow the 1% improvement rule.  If you do everything today the same way you did yesterday, you won't see any improvement in your results.  That's sad because you're smarter today than you were yesterday as a result of all your experiences.  The wisdom you gained should help you make better choices today.  An improvement in 1% may not seem like much but it adds up to 100% in just over three months not counting the value of compounding your wisdom with daily improvements.

Follow the 1% rule with your food choices and your results will be dramatic over time.  All you need to do today is change one thing.  It could be eliminating one bad food option from your menu.  Maybe you could drink one less soda.  If you're shopping today, make the grocery list in advance and when you're done, eliminate the least healthy item from the list and decide you're no longer going to buy that item ever again.  Replace that item with a better food choice while you're shopping.  Have a great day.

The Travel Bug

I spoke to woman yesterday who spent a year traveling all over Europe.  "How did you do it?"  I asked.

"I camped," she replied.

Once you've been bitten by the travel bug, the worst thing you can do is sit at home and make excuses.  There's always a way to explore new places if you're willing to challenge yourself and get creative.  One of my best memories from last year was a camping trip with our daughter to the Cascades in Washington.  We found a grocery store along the way that had everything we needed for our experience and it didn't break the bank.

If you're afraid of catching the travel bug, you may wish to stop following this blog.  Even the words on the page are highly contagious.  I'm pretty sure I shall be happily infected until the end of my life and this bug has already spread to my wife and our adult children.  The best remedy I know for treatment is frequent travel.  As for me and my family, there won't be any excuses.  Have a great day.

Fine Tuning Your Goals

If your goals are still alive today, congratulations.  You are now on day 19.  Remember, it takes about 30 days to make a habit permanent which means your new year resolutions are still in the danger zone.  One way to survive this critical time is to focus on fine tuning your goals.  I'm working on debt reduction and putting my daily spending under a microscope allows me to zero in on what's necessary to hit my monthly targets..  Daily spending is tracked online by my credit card company and I make sure not to exceed preset dollar amounts that are set up in two week increments.  It's like zeroing in a radio station that's coming in fuzzy.  If I start losing the signal, I know I need to make adjustments to get rid of the static.  The static happens to be all the temptations that appear when you let your guard down.

Don't worry if fine tuning isn't coming naturally for you.  It takes practice.  Keep asking yourself why your goals are important to you and don't give up.  You can do this.  Have a great day.

Eviction Notice to Creditors

Eviction Notice

Dear Creditors,


Please consider this as your formal written notice that my household will no longer be dependent upon you for our household needs.  We have initiated our own "loan acceleration clause" to expedite an early payoff of our mortgage in order to vacate you from our household.  This notice is to allow you to save time and resources advertising your programs to us as we no longer wish to participate.

Moving forward, our family will only authorize credit card charges that are paid prior to the due date in order to avoid bank fees/interest charges.  Should we fail to treat your credit card as a "debit only" card and discover interest charges, we will promptly close the account permanently.  You may continue to send us annual reward checks.  By the way, I'm sharing this eviction notice with co-workers at my day job and you may wish to lower your expectations for future profits as more of us pledge to live in financial freedom.

Game Face

Is your opponent looking bigger than life today?  I have several friends who are in the fight of their lives right now.  They have one thing in common – resilience.  Cancer is a tough enemy.  I think of them every time I pull my pink bandana out of my tennis bag and wearing it seems to help me raise my game because I'm thinking about them.

Regardless of who your opponent may be, remember to put on your best game face.  Stare at yourself in the mirror before you go out into the world and remind yourself of the warrior attitude you are cultivating.  Giving up is not an option.  Show your opponent what you're made of.  Have a great day.

You Can Be Your Own Debt Reduction Coach

Debt reduction is serious business.  You can ignore it, hire others to help manage it, or learn to be your own debt reduction coach.  If you decide to do it yourself, here are a few tips to help you.  Here goes:

1. Coaching yourself is all about the feedback.  Every month you chart the money in and the money out.  Your "score" is what's left over.  Your goal is to find creative ways to increase your personal score.  It's important to write down what you spend so you know where your money is going.  This is the feedback you need for the upcoming months.
2. Find the patterns in your spending causing you to drift off course.  If eating out is eating a whole in your monthly spending, stop eating out.  If shopping for groceries without a defined shopping list is causing you to make too many splurges, resolve to shop only with lists.
3. Decide to make improvements monthly.  Start slowly and keep tracking.
4. Target one debt you have that you want to eliminate and use your savings in your budget to eliminate that debt.  
5. Refuse to borrow money while you're eliminating your debts, one at a time until they're all gone.

If you like competition, consider debt reduction as a game.  You are competing against yourself.  No matter how bad you think you are, you are capable of winning if your goal is continuous improvement.  The longer you play the debt reduction game, the more you will understand yourself and the better you will get at reducing debts.  Have a great day.

Caution: Your Goals are in the Danger Zone

We get a little bit nervous here in the Midwest when the weather forecast calls for heavy snow and blizzard conditions.  There happens to be one of these events coming up this weekend and it reminds me of another danger zone lurking on the calendar at this time every year.  If you're singing the blues because you're slipping on your goals, don't give up.  Think of me as your weather forecaster and heed my warning to get out of the danger zone with some habit saving tips.

That dark cloud over you right now is your danger zone.  It's going to be with you every time you begin a new habit and the sun won't come out for 30 days.  Give up on your new goal and it will disappear into the rain gutter.  Pull out your umbrella and keep this new habit close to your heart until the 30 days passes and the sun comes out.  Don't let this new goal out of your sight.

If you're trying too many new goals at the same time, remember one thing – the umbrella is only big enough to shelter one goal.  Set all the other goals on the shelf and come back for them, one a time.  You will find the weather becomes very predictable.  Each new goal brings in a fresh storm and that storm persists for 30 days.  Once the sun comes out, go retrieve your next goal.  Bring the umbrella because I promise you will have stormy weather for another 30 days until the habit becomes permanent.

The naysayers reading this may argue that this method only produces 12 new goals per year.  I believe 12 new permanent habits per year multiplied by the number of years you will be on this planet are more than enough to give you everything you need to maximize your life and your productivity.  There's also a peace of mind you get when you learn to master your goals.  Have a great day and don't forget your umbrella.

Odds Favor Most Resolutions Landing in the Rough

It's Monday.  Are you feeling a sick hangover from those broken resolutions you made just 14 days ago?  You're in good company.  If the odds of success are so low, why do we even try?  I believe most of us fail to understand long term success requires a plan to manage failure.  We don't know how to have fun with failure.  We definitely don't play games involving losing.  It's easier to walk away when that first shot lands in the rough.  Well, I'm playing games with failure and I'm going to keep playing for the rest of my life until I get it right.

I'm happy to report my first shot in my debt reduction "game" landed on the green.  Some may say I cheated at my own game.  I previewed my virtual debt reduction golf course early to get an idea of where all the challenges would be and I decided the first hole, aka January, would be the most important hole on the entire course.  It was so vital to get past January that I started taking practice swings in November and December.  Those adjustments in my swing (budget) helped me get a good start.

The way I designed my game, Par for the Course, there's only one way I can lose – walk away and throw away my clubs.  I expect to miss.  There will be months when unexpected things prevent me from hitting my target.  Those months are called "bogeys" and I'm going to keep track of them.  The idea is to keep playing and learn from those bad swings.  My focus is on improvement, especially when I find myself in the rough.

The biggest mistake you can make right now if you're upset about blowing a resolution is to walk away and wait until next January 1 to begin again.  Shake off the Monday morning blues and hit the reset button.  Who cares if you're in the rough?  Golfers don't give up.  They understand there's a bunch more holes to be played.  Make adjustments.  Learn how to get out of the rough.  Have fun.  Laugh at your mistakes.  You can do this.  Have a great day.

It's Playoff Time

My favorite team is on the road today.  I'm thankful for all the entertainment the Chargers bring my family.  They may not play in San Diego any longer but they are still in my heart and I hope these guys can pull out a win against the New England Patriots.  If your team is out of the playoffs, consider cheering for these guys led by Phil Rivers.  He's one of those guys who refuses to give up no matter how bleak the conditions may be.  I'll be cheering from afar since I'll be at my day job today during the game.  Have a great day.

On Par with God

Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you could see around or through all the obstacles?  Would all those bogeys suddenly disappear?  Would you magically gain the power to "make straight the way of the Lord," as the prophet, Isaiah, urged to anyone who would listen?

My lifetime commitment is to keep going forward no matter how challenging the course may be.  In my opinion, the weeds are invading the golf course faster and faster while the players seem to be fighting more often.  I ask myself, "where are all these weeds coming from?"

Nonbelievers insist there is no God because they believe an all-loving being would never allow all the chaos that exists in our world.  Just look at all those weeds.  They miss one key point.  The chaos comes from our own failure to follow the rules.  God loves us so much that he gave us the ability to decide for ourselves what we want to do with our lives.  We can play the course or we can walk away.  The consequences of walking away include living in a world where we are separated from our Creator.  We are lost in the wilderness.  Those prophets, like Isaiah, who want us to clear away the obstacles have been given a special ability to see what's waiting for us on the other side.  We can wallow in the weeds or make straight the way of the Lord.

Maybe you're asking yourself, "how can I get on par with God?"  Maybe you're sick and tired of how out-of-control this world is and you want something to change.  I have a solution for you.  Hire your own personal caddy.  Hire someone who knows the course.  Hire a helper you has the ability to see around and through every obstacle you're facing right now.  Hire Jesus.  Listen to Jesus when he says "forgive others."  Heed his advice when he says, "love your enemies."  Follow him when he says, "walk with me."  Don't pay attention to the weeds.  They are only distractions.  Today is a good day to get on par with God.  Have a great day.

Play Par for the Course and Win

Today's message is for anyone who wants to have more fun achieving their goals.  I'm using the game, Par for the Course, to help me win financial independence.  It works for any area of your life.  Let's say your goal is to sleep 8 hours a day.  Set up a virtual golf course with 36 holes, one for each day.  Every morning when you wake up, give yourself a par for the day if you slept 8 hours.  Less than 8 hours results in a bogey for that hole.  The idea is to keep playing the game until you can make par 36 days in a row.  Whola!  Now you have a new habit.  Don't give up until the habit is formed and the bogeys are gone.

Are you working on weight reduction?  Play virtual golf.  The nine hole version is for small goals, like eating a salad a day for nine days in a row.  No salad = a bogey for the day.  Keep playing until you go nine days in a row with no bogeys.  Don't worry about the scale.  Focus on your food choices, one at a time.

You can modify Par for the Course to fit any goal you're working on.  My personal game is set up for 36 months with a goal to take a swing on every pay day.  I get two strokes for months with two paychecks and three strokes for the months with three paychecks.  A stroke is a payment to my mortgage company above the required payment amount.  For me, par is when my strokes match my desired goal for the month.  I'm happy to report today's first stroke landed on the green and I'm on target to meet my January goal.  There are 76 swings remaining on my quest to pay off my mortgage.  I promise to keep playing this game until I master debt reduction.  How about you?  Can you modify this game to fit an area of your life you would like to improve?  Let me know if this works for you.  Have a great day.

The Chip Shot for Debt Reduction

Want to be a winner at debt reduction?  Visualize yourself playing golf.  Every hole is a step towards financial freedom.  Each time you pay down or pay off a debt, you're sinking a putt.  I'm using the chip shot in my virtual debt reduction game to improve my odds of success.  The idea of the chip shot is to make a series of controlled swings in order to get as close to the target as possible and make par (payment above requirement) every month until financial freedom is achieved.  In my situation, I believe I can do this if I can make par every month over a period of 36 months.  My virtual golf course has 31 par two months and five par three months based on the number of paychecks for each month.

The chip shot may not seem like much at first glance.  The way I see it, the value of most months in my virtual debt reduction game only amounts to about 2.5% of my mortgage debt.  That seems like a minuscule amount.  That's where the chip shot becomes so valuable.  As long as I keep playing and get close to par every month by making additional payments above the required amount,  I will win financial independence in three years.  It's all about chipping, chipping and more chipping until the game is over.  Give chipping a try and play the game to win financial independence.  Have a great day.

Measure Your Weight Loss by the Ounce to Win Big

What choices can you make today that will result in two ounces of weight loss by the end of the day?  Too easy?  I don't think so.  That's why today matters.  The two ounces represent your first step in the direction of a better you.  Your two ounces released will turn in to four ounces tomorrow.  You're at half a pound by the end of the fourth day.

If you're not sure how to release the two ounces, think about how you will handle your food choices.  Maybe your two ounces of weight loss comes from a choice to avoid processed foods today.  Consider replacing that junk food you were going to eat with a salad instead.  You can find the two ounces of weight loss if you're serious about change.

Congratulate yourself when you step on the scale tomorrow morning at the same time and you see progress.  Keep it up and you will release one pound every eight days until you find your desired target.  Find a buddy to do this with you and stay committed to two ounces a day.  Throw in a few extra steps of walking every day to send a signal to your body that a new life is ahead.  Have a great day.

Check Out This Rising Son

"Rising Son" debuts today.  World famous singer/songwriter, rockstar husband, father of four and cousin to a whole bunch of Mulligans is releasing his 13th CD today.  Mark Mulligan hired his 6 year-old daughter, Marisol, to design the cover and it reflects what his music is all about – sunshine, ocean and a song writer who is unafraid to share what makes him tick, trop-rock style.

Although my cousin deported himself to Mexico twenty-four years ago, you can still find him north of the border to see him in person.  Check out his music and take a look at his calendar to see when he's performing near you.  All proceeds from "Rising Son" are donated to charity.   Click here to visit Mark's site and order some great music. Congrats, Mark, on your newest release.  Hope to see you soon, cuz.  Have a great day.

It's All About the Mulligans

Have you requested your mulligan yet?  It's day 7.  Odds are you already slipped on at least one of your resolutions for the the new year.  I have good news for you.  Research published in Psychology Today states 71% of people who were successful in keeping their resolutions slipped in their first month.  They succeeded because they requested a mulligan – a do over.  The lesson here is perseverance wins.

The one area of my life I can honestly say where I'm qualified as an expert is in the area of falling down.  My first job in high school was delivering newspapers before sunrise every morning.  It was also my first opportunity to participate in a contest.  Knock on doors, ask people if they would like to start receiving the morning paper and get enough successful outcomes to win a trip to Disneyland.  Did I fail?  Every day.  Did I quit?  No.  How many mulligans did I need to get to Disneyland?  Let's just say I knocked on a lot of doors and it took a long time before my voice wouldn't crack when I asked for the sale.  That trip to Disneyland was one of the best experiences of my childhood.

I'm a little bit older now.  Not much has changed in the area of falling down.  The prizes haven't changed much either.  I'm still motivated by cool prizes that involve trips.  Maybe that's why I'm not afraid to ask for a mulligan any time I fail at a goal.  Failing is normal.  In fact, not failing is a sign the goal is too easy.  The goal my wife and I set up for ourselves will take 1,095 days to accomplish.  That means we have 1,088 days to go as of today.  I already have a name for the falling down part – bogeys.  They are a necessary part of the game.  The main idea of the game is to stay on par monthly.  The bogeys can be overcome as long as I decide the prize at the end of the game is more valuable than quitting.  I'm going to need a lot of mulligans.  You may hear me yelling, "fore!"  That means I'm still playing.  It's day 7.  I'm loading up on my mulligans for the long haul.  It's all about being happy no matter what the score is.  Have a great day.

Team Wins in Nail Biter

My teammates carried us to victory yesterday in a dramatic 3-2 win.  I fell short in my doubles match against a team that played their A game.  The team match was decided by one of our singles players who was on the courts for over two hours in a mixed doubles match before he walked out on the court in a must win situation.  Brian fought hard to take the second set 7-5 and tie his match after dropping the first set in a tie breaker.   He took the super tie breaker 10-1 and sealed first place for our season.

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by so many people who strive to be their best every day when they wake up.  These are the people who cheered for me to get back on my feet after my car accident eleven months ago.  They worked with me to restore my agility.  Now it's time for me to step up my practice time in order to contribute to this amazing group of men and help us reach our lofty team goals.  Congratulations to my teammates.  It's really fun to be a part of this.  Have a great day.

It's Heating Up Today

Our Mens 40+ team is playing our final regular season match today at noon and the temperatures are expected to reach a high of 54º during our showdown.  It's winner take all today.  Both teams are evenly matched and our season will most likely come down to a couple of points.  Family members are joining us today and we will have home court advantage.  All matches are played indoors due to the normally frigid temperatures.  The family will be headed downtown to Iowa City to enjoy some fun in the sun after match play.  The winner of today's match will advance to a one match playoff against the top team from the other division later in the year.  There won't be any opportunities to slow down since the Mens 18+ season begins three weeks from today.

If you were to ask me to write a script about a dream life, this would be what I would write about.  Those challenging chapters regarding wildfires, economic downturns, family relocations, tornados and car accidents are the necessary chapters to build character.  I'm living the dream life.  Today I'm surrounded by family doing what I'm passionate about.  The sunny weather is an added bonus.  I couldn't ask for a better life.  Have a great day.

How to Make Today Count

My day job gives me the opportunity to be in contact with people of all ages from all walks of life.  There are patterns that emerge in our conversations.  Each person inspires me.  Those who are active, take vacations, eat healthy and enjoy life inspire me to live every day to the fullest.  And those who are overweight, out of shape and have negative outlooks on life also inspire me to live every day to the fullest by showing me what happens when you choose unwisely.  It all comes down to small daily choices.  Over time, these choices add up to an amazing life or an unfulfilled life.

One of the greatest influencers in my life is no longer with us.  Jack Lalanne took the time to send me an autographed picture of himself after I reached out to him asking for an opportunity to meet him and thank him in person for motivating me to lead a healthier lifestyle.  His personal secretary sent me an email in response to the  condolences I sent and her message is still in my head eight years later...  Exercise an hour a day.  This is what Jack would ask of you to remember him.

Some people may think my daily choices are excessive.  When they see me running to my day job or running to my car after my shift is over, they ask, "are you late?"  They don't understand I'm running all the time at every opportunity.  Those times when it's -18º outside are the times when I remind myself that today counts and the choice to run, even if it's only for 90 seconds at a time, all add up to the kind of lifestyle Jack Lalanne advocated during his time with us on the planet.  Make today count.  Think about your choices at every meal.  Ponder how you will spend your free time today.  Spend one hour exercising.  Have a great day.

Reduce Anxiety Today

Can you picture yourself above?  It sure looks like a calm place to be, doesn't it?  You can get there in just five minutes if you understand how to travel in your own mind.  It's free and easy.  No passport is required.  Spend ten minutes here and your anxiety will vanish today.  The secret is in your five senses.  Ready?  Here goes:

• Think about the details in this picture using all five of your senses.  Be creative.
• What is the temperature?
• How does it feel to walk on the deck while barefoot?
• Can you smell the barbecue from your next-door neighbor?
• Is there a breeze?
• How fast are the clouds moving?
• What sounds are you hearing from nature?
• What do you see in the distance?
• How does your snack taste?
• Can you hear yourself breathing as you take in long deeps breaths?
• What happy memories do you recall when you close your eyes?

Your ten minutes of anxiety reduction are now over.  Come back any time and visit this picture.  Have a great day.

Game On

No mulligans were needed yesterday on the virtual golf course.  I'm playing the debt reduction game I call Mulligan's Par for the Course.  The idea is to make par over the next 36 months and win financial freedom for the rest of my life.  The truth is I've been playing this game for years with not much success because I created too many of my own sand traps.  Often times I found myself underwater due to poor decisions.  Something changed late in the year last year.  I made a decision to design my own virtual golf course and minimize the obstacles in order to increase my chances for success.

Our beloved Iowa Hawkeyes were on national TV yesterday and I thought I may be the only household in Iowa not watching since we downsized our dish network to the bare minimum a couple of months ago.  We ruled out going to a sports bar because that was in conflict with our no drinking pledge for January.  Our adult children came up with a great solution that kept me out of the debt sand trap – live streaming.  We watched the game together at home and saw our team come back to win late in the 4th quarter.

There are three kinds of people – the ones who make things happen, the ones who watch things happen, and the ones who say, "what happened?"  You have a choice to make.  Decide which category you want to belong to.  Don't let past mistakes or challenges force you to the sidelines.  Get back in the game.  Create your own rules if you like or join me in Par for the Course.  There's room for more players who are serious about reaching long-term goals.  Would you like give debt reduction a try?  Have a great day.

Happy New Year

This is day one of a year filled with unlimited possibilities.  I'm thankful you're here today to visit.  I promised I would share more about a game I'm playing to help me reach my goal of financial independence.  The game can be modified to fit your own goals in any area of your life you're working on.  The rules are simple – have fun and don't quit until you win.  I call the game – Mulligan's Par for the Course.  The way you play the game is you invite your opponent out to the virtual golf course and play nine holes.  Let's say your opponent is weight loss.  You must size up your opponent and assign the specific number of pounds you are going to take away from him in the next nine holes.  Each month is a hole.  You make par when you reach your weight loss goal for that month.  Give yourself a bogie if you miss and a birdie if you release more pounds than the required amount.  Track your performance for nine holes and play again if you want to continue losing weight for the next nine months.  If you come out with more bogeys than you like, keep playing the same course over and over until you win.

I already know I need to be on this nine hole virtual golf course four times for a total of 36 months.  My mortgage company has no idea what I'm up to.  They have their own game and it looks more like a deranged revision of Monopoly where they keep winning all my money and I keep landing in jail.  Many other players I know are also losing.  They falsely believe they can't get out of jail for 30 years.  There are those who will never escape because they're playing a game called "interest only."  The banks win and these players lose.

I believe every opponent can be defeated.  You need time and will power.  Can you spare the next nine months of your life to play Mulligan's Par for the Course?  The game is still in development and I would love your feedback if you decide to give this a try.  Remember, this – it's all about continuous improvement.  There will be months when you find yourself in a sand trap or you're under water.  Keep playing.  Every day matters.  Every month matters.  I realize I may need to play more than 36 months to finally knock my opponent out of my life forever but that's okay.    What matters is I'm making a commitment to play this game until I win.  Let me know what you think.  Give yourself nine months and see if this game works for you.  Have a great day and a Happy New Year.